Run for your Life
by Gemini14
Summary: AU Tokyo Babylon, Cowboy Bebop Crossover. I know that's a weird combination, but please read and review!
1. Chapter One: Onmyouji and Cowboys

Run for your Life

AU Tokyo Babylon/ Cowboy Bebop Crossover

Chapter One: Onmyoji and Cowboys

"_It was just that_………_he was all alone_………._never anyone to share the game_………"

Subaru Sumeragi panted as he ran in the direction of the convenience store, fear reigning supreme in his wide blue eyes. He'd just had a frightening vision of danger for his twin sister, Hokuto, and was racing to get to her side before the worst happened. Right alongside him, his guardian and friend, Seishiro Sakurazuka, ran as well. He was also worried about the impatient and stubborn girl, yet he was trying his best to talk some sense into her brother.

"Subaru-kun, please be reasonable! I know you are concerned, but the situation will have already been taken care of by the time we get there!" Seishiro shouted, as they charged headlong down a dark alleyway.

"But Hokuto-chan needs my help, Seishiro-san! If I don't get there soon, she'll die! I must get there before it's too late!" Subaru gasped, as he rounded a corner and almost came face to face with a rough-looking thug.

"Whoa there! Sorry about that!" Seishiro said, as he grabbed Subaru by the collar of his shirt and pulled him back. The thug merely gave Seishiro an unreadable look.

"This store's closed. Go home." The thug growled.

"So I see. Well, we'll be going now. Sorry to have bothered you." Seishiro said, as he pulled Subaru away from the door and dragged him out of the thug's line of sight.

"Seishiro-san! What're you doing?!" Subaru asked, somewhat angrily, before Seishiro put a hand over his mouth.

"Don't worry, Subaru-kun. This situation is soon going to be resolved. Look." Seishiro stated, as he pointed out a single man that was nonchalantly approaching the store.

"But Seishiro-san……I don't see……!" Subaru started, then stopped when Seishiro silenced him again.

"Shh. You'll see, in short order." Seishiro replied, with seemingly infinite patience. Subaru gave him a doubtful look, then watched as the man walked up to, and stopped in front of, the thug. Ten seconds later, the thug was on the ground, knocked out by a kick to the head. Doubt quickly changed to wonder as the man quickly handcuffed the thug, then went inside.

"How did………?" Subaru asked, then shook his head. In many ways, Seishiro's powers and instincts were sharper than his were; yet he should have seen that coming.

"Come on. It's safe enough now to get closer. I want to see how he handles himself in there." Seishiro said, as he cautiously led the way to the convenience store entrance, stopping and ducking out of sight when he was just outside. Subaru followed suit, crouching almost behind Seishiro when he got there. They both watched as the man casually wandered into the store, ignoring the gunmen as he browsed the shelf with the party favors. It wasn't until then that Subaru spotted Hokuto. She was at the back of the store, searching the shelves for something (an easy-to-fix dinner, most likely) and was oblivious to the danger around her.

"Yo, headphone boy! Take 'em off!" the leader of the thugs demanded, as he pointed his gun at the man (and turned Subaru's attention back to what was going on before him). At the same time, the man picked up a party favor, a can of silly string, and looked it over.

"How much is this?" the man asked, before firing the silly string at the leader and promptly knocking the living daylights out of him. Seishiro and Subaru both cringed when the man pressed the coffee dispenser's button, and poured hot coffee on the leader's face.

"Now that was sadistic………..We could both learn a thing or two from him." Seishiro whispered, jokingly.

"You've gotta be kidding……." Subaru muttered, aghast at the idea. Minutes later, a second man came through the ceiling and joined the first, taking out another of the thieves while he was at it. With effortless grace, the first man handled the last of the thieves, knocking him into a display filled with doughnuts. Just as deftly, the man caught a doughnut as it sailed into the air and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Spike!" the second man called, to get the first's attention and to let him know that the second thug had just been handcuffed.

"Yeah?" the first man replied, then looked at the thoroughly shaken cashier.

"Put my doughnut on their tab, wouldja?" 'Spike' said, pointing at the thugs as he said that. Seishiro smiled and shook his head, would that he could be that casual!

"Quite an audacious character, wouldn't you agree?" Seishiro whispered. Subaru only nodded.

"His martial arts skills are amazing……I've never seen anyone do something like that so effortlessly……But I still feel that Hokuto-chan is in danger." Subaru replied, as he tensely watched his sister move towards the back of the store, with the intent to get a jug of milk while she was there. He was proven right just moments later. A fourth thief stepped out of the men's restroom, caught sight of Spike and the second man, then grabbed a startled Hokuto and held a gun to her head.

"_Hokuto-chan!!_" Subaru thought, as he tried to get around Seishiro and make a mad dash to his sister. He was prevented from doing so by Seishiro; who grabbed his wrist and pulled him back.

"Hey, Jet." Spike growled, sounding a bit miffed by this development.

"What?" the second man asked.

"You said three. Not four." Spike said, in the same tone as before.

"Sometimes misinformation is given to enemies and allies…." Jet started, unaware that two more pairs of eyes were watching the goings on; one with fear, and the other with expectation.

"Don't pull that 'art of war' crap on me! And you," Spike shouted, as he turned his attention to the only remaining thug, "You take too long to take a shit!"

"Put your guns down! Now!" the thug demanded. Jet reluctantly did as he was told, while Subaru watched the gunman, prepared to unleash a psychic attack on him. Seishiro stopped him, just as he reached for the anti-scroll.

"Seishiro-san, I've got to do something!" Subaru hissed, angrily. Seishiro shook his head.

"Too risky. If you attack him now, you'll risk hitting Hokuto-chan as well. You don't want to do that, do you?" Seishiro asked. Subaru's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"No." Subaru whispered.

"Then wait. I have the feeling that Spike-kun won't let anything happen to Hokuto-chan. Just trust me, okay?" Seishiro reassured. Subaru only nodded, and watched the face-off, not knowing what was going to happen next. As calmly as before, Spike unholstered his gun and stood poised, ready to fire.

"Did ya hear me?! I'm gonna splatter neko-girl here!" the thug threatened. Spike smirked.

"Well, that's a real shame. But we aren't cops, and we're not part of a charity organization. Sorry kid, but this is strictly business." Spike sneered, unwaveringly.

"Cowboy scumbag!" the thug snarled as he took the gun away from Hokuto's head and aimed it at Spike. That split second was all the man known only as 'Spike' to Seishiro and Subaru needed to fire his own weapon and take the thug down. The bullet from Spike's gun struck the thug in the shoulder and knocked him into one of the refrigerators used for storing sodas, breaking the glass and sending canned drinks cascading down on top of him. Still a bit traumatized by the experience, Hokuto sank to her knees, her face as white as a sheet.

"You all right, kid?" Spike's voice asked, and Hokuto looked up at him, vaguely aware that a shocked Subaru and an ever calm Seishiro were now entering the convenience store.

"He called you a 'cowboy'…………..who are you? What are you?" Hokuto asked, shakily. Spike smiled gently and offered her a hand up.

"Just a humble bounty hunter, ma'am." Spike replied, coolly, as he helped her up.

"You haven't yet answered her first question. She asked who you were first." Seishiro said, not even flinching when Spike turned and pointed the gun at him. Yet the bounty hunter was a bit surprised when Subaru stood in front of Seishiro, prepared to fight.

"If you dare to shoot Seishiro-san, I'll give you the worst headache of your life…………and your partner would have to clean up the mess your brain will leave behind." Subaru said, green eyes flashing as they met Spike's mismatched brown ones.

"Subaru…………" Hokuto muttered, stunned by what her brother had just said. She'd never heard that much anger in her twin brother's voice before. But, as always, Seishiro diffused the situation.

"Calm down, Subaru-kun. I am in no danger. It was merely a reflex on Spike-kun's part to turn the gun on me, since he did just break up a robbery in progress. He also just saved Hokuto-chan's life, don't forget that." Seishiro said, as he placed a hand on Subaru's shoulder, in an effort to calm the teen down. Spike again smirked.

"Kid's got guts, I'll give 'im that much. I didn't think the 'famous' onmyoji walked the streets with normal people. I thought that they always kept to themselves." Spike said, as he gave the trio a wry look. Seishiro answered that with an honest smile.

"It's a bit difficult to keep to oneself on Mars." Seishiro replied.

"True enough." Spike murmured, then said, "The name's Spike. Spike Spiegel."

"I'm Sakurazuka Seishiro, and these two are Sumeragi Subaru and his twin sister Hokuto." Seishiro said, in turn.

"Sumeragi? Isn't that the name of the famous clan that had supposedly watched over the city of Tokyo before the Gate Incident?" Jet asked. Subaru nodded.

"The very same. Unfortunately, my sister and I are the only members of that clan left." Subaru stated, giving Spike an apologetic glance while he was at it.

"_That explains things_……." Spike mused, silently, then turned and looked at Jet. The older man caught the unspoken suggestion and nodded in response.

"Let's get goin' Spike. We need to get to the station before more curious onlookers get here." Jet said, as he hauled three of the thieves to their feet. Spike wordlessly agreed, handcuffed the last thief, pulled him to his feet, then walked out, leaving the trio and cashier to gaze after them in silence.

"They are certainly an interesting team. I have the feeling that we are going to meet them again in the near future." Seishiro murmured.

"Strange thing is, Seishiro-san, I have that same feeling…………" Subaru whispered, a knowing, and almost dreading, look appearing in his eyes as he said that.

"I do too………." Hokuto added, as Seishiro gently ushered the pair out, leaving behind all of the groceries Hokuto had come to get, behind. This left only the cashier to survey the damage.

"_Who would have thought that cowboys and onmyoji would come to places like this?_" the cashier thought, before getting started in the clean-up.

Author's Note!

I realize that some things might be a little bit off, as far as the convenience store hold-up was concerned (and even the characters involved), but there is a reason. As far as the chronology of this fic is concerned, the series X/1999 never happened. This story came about as an experiment to see how Subaru, Hokuto, and Seishiro would interact with the Cowboy Bebop characters. If anybody has any idea as to how the next chapter could start, please let me know! Thanks for reading!

Gemini14


	2. Chapter Two: Fate's Decision

Chapter Two: Fate's Decision

It was a few days later that a completely recovered Hokuto watched T.V. while Seishiro prepared lunch. The trauma of the convenience store hold-up seemed a thing of the past, as she went about her daily routine (namely, creating ensembles for herself and Subaru to wear the next day) while Subaru slept on the couch; recovering from a difficult exorcism.

"Hey, Sei-chan, what do you think of this?" Hokuto asked, as she held up what appeared to be a dark blue jacket for the older onmyouji to see. Seishiro glanced up at her, gave the jacket a scrutinizing look, and shook his head.

"I don't think so, Hokuto-chan. It would clash too much with his eyes." Seishiro replied, jokingly, then asked, "Are you sure you're all right, Hokuto-chan?" Hokuto nodded.

"I'm fine, Sei-chan. I guess I never thought that something like that could happen to me. What is even more unbelievable is the fact that a bounty hunter had saved me...even if it was too close for comfort." Hokuto said, glancing at her slumbering brother for added emphasis. Seishiro understood completely. Admittedly, he'd been a little startled by Subaru's protectiveness in the face of what he'd thought to be a threat...possibly even moreso than Hokuto had been.

"_And yet, I shouldn't be surprised. I'm all he and Hokuto-chan have left now, since their parents were killed three years ago._" Seishiro mused; remembering very clearly the pathetic scene of the two thirteen-year-olds kneeling beside their dead parents (who had been brutally gunned down right in front of them), the full horror of the event showing in their young eyes. He'd been on his way home from work when he'd heard the gunshots and had found the twins huddled together and staring numbly at the grisly scene.

"_It had taken them months just to get even one full night's sleep after that_..._The emotional trauma had been worse than I'd thought._" Seishiro thought, remembering the many nights he'd had to sit by the twins' beds and hold their hands to reassure them that he wasn't going anywhere. He was startled from his grim revery by Hokuto's voice.

"Sei-chan! A chemical truck has just exploded in downtown Alba!" Hokuto yelped, with shock in her voice. Almost in slow motion, Seishiro turned his head and looked at the screen, his eyes almost immediately drawn to the guardrail of the bridge the truck had been on before exploding. There, appearing almost to be a specter of death, stood a man. He had long, wavy black hair, and wore dark clothing; a subtle hint of the dark soul that was hidden within him. Then the man, who had been facing towards the city, turned his own head and looked towards the camera.

"_Trick or treat, Sakurazuka._" a gruff voice growled, in the back of Seishiro's mind, and as his mind almost instantly went blank. As he felt himself begin to fall, Seishiro heard Hokuto scream his name, and then knew nothing else.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

When he returned to awareness, Seishiro found himself lying on the couch Subaru had been sleeping on earlier, and saw the worried twins hovering close by.

"Are you all right, Seishiro-san?" Subaru asked.

"You scared the hell outta me, passing out like that! What happened?.!" Hokuto added, anxiously.

"A sublimal message...I received a sublimal message and passed out...Subaru-kun, Hokuto-chan, pack your bags. We've got to get out of here." Seishiro said, as he slowly sat up, and then got to his feet; standing still for a few moments so he could get his equilibrium back, and then rushing to his own room to grab what he was going to need.

"Sei-chan, what's wrong? This isn't like you!" Hokuto shouted, now extremely worried for their guardian. He actually seemed to be afraid.

"I've no time to explain, Hokuto-chan. The only thing I can tell you is that we'll be in mortal danger if we stay here any longer." Seishiro stated, in a no nonsense tone, trying to remain calm enough to think of what they were going to need while they were on the run.

"_He's scared_..._Really scared. What did he see, just now?_" Subaru wondered, as he glanced at the T.V. screen for a moment, before taking Seishiro's example and getting ready to leave.

"_It seems my past is about to catch up to me_..._I just hope I have the strength to protect Hokuto and Subaru from him._" Seishiro thought, as he remembered the events of a time just prior to his finding of the orphaned twins.

"Seishiro-san, where are we going? What are we running from?" Subaru asked, again.

"A ghost. We're running from a ghost, Subaru-kun...from my past." Seishiro replied, enigmatically.

"Then why don't we just exorcize it? It's what we're in business to do, after all." Hokuto said, impatiently. Seishiro sighed and shook his head.

"This kind of ghost will not be that easy to exorcize. In fact...he may just kill us before we can even think of a way to get him." Seishiro murmured, with foreboding in his voice.

"Then what should we do?" the twins asked, in unison; fearful now, of what this threat meant to the three of them.

"Run for our lives...and hope we can find a safe haven somewhere in the meantime." Seishiro said, as he closed his suitcase, picked it up, and then grabbed the keys for his zip craft; not even realizing that this move alone was going to put the three of them on the same path again as the bounty hunter they'd met only a few nights before...

Vvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Elsewhere, in a vacant apartment, a lone man sat, gazing out the window. He smiled when he sensed something; a slight change in the air around him, hinting at something only he could know the meaning to.

"_Fight all you like, Sakurazuka. Soon there will be no one to shelter you. It'll just be you and me. And the butterflies._" the man thought, as his gaze turned to the distant radio tower, with something akin to eagerness in his eyes as he did so.


End file.
